


In Another Universe (We Fall)

by Tony_n_Steve



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Battle of Wakanda (Avengers: Infinity War), Established Relationship, Hurt Steve Rogers, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Please Don’t Hate Me, Sad Ending, Sorry Not Sorry, Steve Rogers Angst, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Angst, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, blame marvel for any pain, i was just tired one night and was inspired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-22 22:13:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21309451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tony_n_Steve/pseuds/Tony_n_Steve
Summary: basically like in IW where Wanda is fighting off Thanos and destroying the mind stone and Vision, but it's SteveTony. Steve got the stone from a battle gone wrong years ago and it's the most powerful one in existence.Tony is as Wanda and Steve is as Vision. i'm sure you get the idea.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 1
Kudos: 33





	In Another Universe (We Fall)

**Author's Note:**

> it's not great so,,,,, don’t hate me. but I hope you at least like it.
> 
> based off a twitter prompt... special thanks to Eva :)
> 
> STEVE/TONY, and THOR/BRUCE if you squint
> 
> part 2 coming one day titled In Another Time (We Fly)

The battle was almost over.

After a long day of fighting alongside his teammates, Steve was feeling just about ready to kick this Thanos guy's _ass_ and get the hell out of there. The sooner they could get home, the sooner he could finally rest next to his husband.

_Isn't that the why we fight? So we can end the fight? So we get to go home?_

Speaking of which, it had been a while since he'd heard from Tony. After hitting a few more psycho space dog things, he spoke through the comms, "Iron Man, what's your status?"

A beat. Then, "Steve. You've gotta come right now. He's here. _God_, Steve, he's here. Friday, tell the team the location. Get everyone here. Please".

"It's gonna be alright Tony. Okay? Hang on. Don't approach him on your own, I'm on my way now with the others!" Steve called back and hurriedly pushed through the mess of avengers and enemies.

"Wanda! Okoye! Shuri! Panther! Widow! Spiderman! Buck! You all keep fighting off the worst of it!"

"Bruce, Thor and Hawkeye come with me! Hurry!"

"Strange, stick with Wanda, she needs help back there with protecting Vision! He's still up in the building because he's been hurt and we can't let Thanos get to him and his stone while he's weak! Go-"

Strange cut him off, yelling, "Steve, no. I have to come. It's the only way, _I_ am the one who knows how it needs to play out. I must stay with Iron Man!"

Steve sighed but kept running, the others making their way to the location Friday had sent them, killing as many wild creatures as possible on the way.

Then Peter's worried voice cut through the comms, "Mr. Rogers sir! Won't going to Thanos be the opposite of what you're supposed to be doing? Because, you know, you have the most powerful stone, that he _needs_?!"

"It's alright, Queens. You know me, I have a plan! Just stick to your mission!"

A second passed before Peter grunted, "you'd better be careful Steve".

"Always, kid!".

And Steve kept running.

Thanos wasn't at all what he'd expected. But, then again, he didn't really have much information to go off other than what Bruce and Strange had told them. But here he was, staring down at the group of them and Steve wished he had stood in front of Tony because seeing him so close was putting him on edge.

The doctor had made it there first. He'd flown straight over Steve's head and arrived minutes earlier. He'd been talking to Tony when Steve got there and he noticed Tony had his faceplate down. Concern and confusion curdled in his gut momentarily.

Unless he's about to get hit in the face, or hiding his emotions, he never keeps his faceplate down when he's talking to someone.

Tony, completely hidden by his armour, turned to Steve then and stared for probably too long. Before Steve can say anything, Thanos spoke up, his booming voice was fair competition with Thor's.

"I am alive. I have a life. You know what makes me selfless? I want life to continue and not mine alone. I want life to continue to flourish. Give it time to _evolve_. But the price of sustainability of life comes at a high price: For half to live on, half must cease to exist. Balance of the universe".

"You're going to kill trillions!" Steve shouted.

Tony had since turned back to face Thanos and Steve couldn't help but somehow notice his stance was incredibly tense. He cleared his throat, "oh yeah? Killing that many is somehow justified if you keep some alive? Have you even considered the future consequences?! First of all, you'll be the most hated being to exist. Secondly, how do you not understand basic biology? Once you've wiped out half of the universe, over time the surviving half will reproduce and build the population back up again! Ever thought of just doubling the resources?"

"This is a genuinely good point yet it has no value to me. But you're incredibly wise, Stark".

Tony flipped his faceplate up. "You know me?"

"I do. You're not the only one cursed with knowledge".

"That's it, Giant Grape. I'm sick of looking at you. What are we doing?" Tony replied, frustrated.

"We're executing my plan. There are three stones on Earth. One in the skull of a toaster, one in a necklace, and one in the cute little belly button of a soldier," Thanos mocked.

Steve's heart missed a beat. _He knows_.

Tony turned to look at Steve, horrified. It was the first time Steve had seen his face all afternoon. His heart all but stopped at the sight of it.

In the second that Tony had met his eyes, the image was photographed and stored in his mind for eternity.

There, looking at him was a blotchy, tear-streaked face complete with the most glassy (and beautiful) eyes he'd ever seen. Tony had been crying, a lot. That explains the faceplate at least.

Steve didn't have time to question as Thanos teleported himself away in a cloud of blue smoke, to god knows where.

Tony snapped his faceplate shut once again with an irritated huff.

"Strange! Got any idea where he's going? You're the one who's seen the millions of futures," came Tony's voice. He still sounded off to Steve's ears.

"Of course. He's heading towards the fight but that's not where we need to go. Follow me, quickly!"

All three of them ran after the doctor.

They reached a small clearing in the trees a few minutes later. Steve approached Tony as his entire helmet seemed to fade away. Less than 10 years after waking up in the 21st century brings amazement at the little futuristic benefits, like nanotech.

Bruce and Strange wandered to the edge of the clearing quietly and both stood watching the battle in the distance through the trees.

Tony's armour completely faded back into his chest piece. He looked up and met Steve's eyes and for a moment Steve thought he might pass out. His husband bit his lip to stop it from quivering as his eyes teared up again and he ran straight at Steve.

He caught him in his arms as Tony choked and held onto the back of his suit so tightly he wondered if it could tear. His shoulders shook as he sobbed, his breathing came rapidly as he soaked the front of Steve's shirt. Steve lowered them to sitting on the ground while rubbing his lover's back as comforting as he could.

"Shhh, baby, it's alright. I don't know what's happened but whatever it is, we can deal with it, okay? Like always, together".

Tony was still crying when he turned his head to look at Steve, "_we'll lose_..."

"Then we'll do that together too".

After maybe 15 minutes of crying, Tony had his breathing under control enough to shakily stand up with Steve.

Strange was staring at Tony. He stared back.

He learnt in close to Steve and wrapped his arms around him. "Now kiss me, Steve. Like it's the last time you- you'll get to d-do it..."

Steve tilted his head to the left. Tony looked up into his eyes and wrapped his arms around his neck. So Steve kissed him with as much love as he could put into it, passionately, comfortingly, like it was his last kiss.

When they broke apart, Tony hugged him again and sobbed some more.

Another few minutes later and Strange called out. "He's coming! It's almost time, he's almost here! Tony!"

Steve felt his husband tense in his arms and pull away like he'd been hit. His armour encompassed his body except his helmet part, and he turned to face Strange who was rushing over to them. Bruce had gone elsewhere in the time they'd been crying and kissing and hugging.

"I'm so sorry Tony. You know I am. But you also know that this is the only way we win. You can save the universe, stop this psycho Thanos, win. Please hurry, he's almost here and-"

"No. I won't- can't".

"Tony, listen to me. You're the only one. It's just how it works. I'm sorry".

"No, Strange. I said no. Absolutely no chance that I'll be able to do that, and there's gotta be some other way, _please_".

"Tony, what's he talking about?"

"Nothing, Steve. Please just run. Go back to the battle and please-"

"Tony, stop this! You're being selfish! You need to do this, you're a _genius_ of course you understand the astronomical proportion of importance-" Strange raised his voice.

"You call my husband selfish one more time-" Steve took a step toward him.

"Steve please stop. Both of you! I- I can't. I'm sorry. Find someone else if you must".

"Stark, listen, it has to be you that's just how the stone works. The only way it can be... destroyed. I'm sorry".

"Wait, what's this about? The stone? My stone? The stone I somehow acquired after a nasty battle in New York a few years back when an alien injected weird stuff into my abdomen? _That_ stone?"

"I'm so so sorry baby. I can't do it. I can't d-do it! I'm sorry".

"One of you had better tell me what on Earth is going on... Baby, please don't cry, it's alright. Strange?! Why are you both talking like this? About destroying my stone?!"

"Rogers, you have to understand. Just listen to me... That stone is Thanos's last Hope at completing his mission; his life's goal to kill half of all life. The only way to prevent this is to destroy it. I've seen almost 15 million possible futures and in the single one we win, it has to be Tony. That's how the stone works: a soulmate's action can complete the soulmate's wish. Like a terrible fairytale. I'm so sorry," the doctor explained.

Steve was in a state of shock. His brain was running through so many different things and he couldn't keep up. Tony let out a sob and collapsed into his arms again and this time Steve cried with him.

He gently carded his hand soothingly through the shorter man's hair as he held him. His self sacrificial mind was agreeing with the plan but he knew of the extreme consequences that this would have for Tony. He shook his head.

"No. No he won't do that. There's no way he's ever doing that, and I'm not giving him the worst emotional pain and trauma by letting him do this. It'll kill me! This stone will _kill_ me if it's destroyed!" Steve angrily said to Strange.

"It will. But it'll save the entire universe, guys. Please, we have to hurry. It's going to be okay if we can just do this," Strange said while trying to be calming.

Steve paused and thought. Tony was still breaking down in his arms because this is the worst thing anyone could even consider doing. His heart broke entirely as he looked up and nodded at Strange, gently pushing away from Tony.

_I guess this is it then_, he thought briefly. He began walking backwards, eyes fixed on his lover's armour-enclosed hands.

"No. Stop Steve. Please. _No_. No, no no no no no no-" Tony stood frozen in place.

"Thank you. The universe thanks you on this day. Always a pleasure being around you, Steven Rogers. Thank you eternally," Strange said before turning away and walking away from the clearing.

"The pleasure was mine, doctor," Steve said while tears started down his face again.

"No Steve. We can stop this... Please! Come back here. Stop walking backwards. Please, I can't do this, you know that. Please baby don't let me do this, please. I'm so sorry, Steve, I'm so so sorry!"

"Tony. It's time," Steve whispered.

"No!"

"They can't stop him, Tony, but we can. Look at me. You have the power to destroy the stone," he insisted.

"I don't!"

"You must do it, Tony please. We are out of time".

"I can't!"

"Yes you can. You can. If he gets the stone, h-half the universe dies. It's not fair. It shouldn't be you but it is," Steve reassured his husband, and himself.

"It's okay baby. It's going to be alright. We're gonna get through this, okay? It's gonna work out fine. You'll be happy with the avengers and they'll look after you. You can get through the pain and trust me, I'm alright. I'm okay. I want this, please, you have to save the universe. You're a hero, you're my hero. Always," Steve fought to stay strong as he got onto his knees and ripped his shirt off, revealing the shimmering stone embedded into his skin. He looked up into his husband's distraught face and forced a small smile.

"You can do this. I believe in you. You're okay, Shellhead".

Tony took a deep breath and looked down for a while at his shaking hands. Slowly he raised one palm at Steve.

"Alright, Winghead. It's gonna be okay Steve. You hear me? We'll get through this. Once it's done we can get you to a doctor and get you fixed up and we can finally just lay down and watch a movie and snuggle and kiss and be happy and you'll be okay and it'll all be okay and-"

"Baby, please. I promise it'll work out but I can't come home. This is it, sweetheart and I'm so so sorry. Please forgive me. I'm so sorry for all the times we fought and thank you for being the most amazing husband anyone could have dreamed of loving. Thank you. So much".

Tony took another deep breathe and looked at his husband. "We're really doing this? Well, I can't even put into words how much you mean to me and how fucking thankful I am that you're my husband. You're beautiful, kind, caring and so much more and I can't believe we've been together for 5 years, been married for 3. It's true, our anniversary is today," both laughed sadly, "and you know what? I'm still sorry for everything I've ever done that's wrong towards you. And I- I am so sorry for today. I'm sorry you have to go through this. It shouldn't be this way..." Tony looked into Steve's blue eyes at the same time he heard Thanos arriving behind him.

Steve picked up his shield that he'd abandoned next to him and looked at it longingly. He put it on his arm just to hold it for the last time. "Well, goodbye Captain America," he muttered. He lowered his arm with it still wrapped around his wrist.

Looking back up to meet his lover's glassy eyes again, he sighed and nodded, "it's okay, you could never hurt me. I trust you".

And they stared into each other's eyes for a moment until Tony closed his.

"F-Friday? Target lock on the stone. I'm so sorry Steve. I love you," he said as he shot his repulser beam at Steve's body.

He aimed his other hand at Thanos behind him because he couldn't watch Steve and he needed to keep Thanos away long enough to destroy the stone. It slowed Thanos right down.

Steve felt pain he'd never experienced; far more than when he had been transformed into Captain America or any of the times he'd been left sickly, skinny, broken and beaten. In a split second of incredible pain and no thought process, he raised his shield up to block the laser. It was not at all what he wanted to do.

When Tony felt wind rush past his face and saw the laser beam going in another direction completely, he unwillingly turned to look at Steve.

There, his husband was curled behind his shield, shaking. The shield was lit up in a blue-orange glow from the laser. Tony choked on his breath and heard Thanos laugh behind him.

"Steve?"

"One s-second! I'm so sorry Tony, oh God. I wasn't thinking and I just- I don't know. I'm okay, I promise. We can do this. It's alright. Okay I'm ready, 3, 2, 1, shoot-"

"I love you!" Tony cried as Steve threw his shield at Thanos, which caught him off guard and embedded itself in the Titan's chest.

Tony used his other hand to lock onto the stone as well and cried as he looked at Steve whose face was scrunched up in pain, even as he fought to stay strong for him.

"I... Love... You... Too," Steve gasped.

Suddenly, the stone exploded and sent a rush of wind out like a bomb had gone off. Tony stumbled back and his armour disappeared once again.

A few seconds later, the dust settled and Tony set his eyes on Steve.

Bruce had returned and was rushing towards Steve at the same speed as Tony was. Thor arrived moments later and glanced over at the trio. His heart sank and anger boiled in him so he turned to Thanos with fire (or lightning) in his eyes.

He ran at him and raised his right arm to the sky, letting out a yell that was half as loud as Tony's scream piercing the air. Thanos was sitting against a large tree trunk with blood trickling down his chin and Captain America's shield wedged in his chest. He looked to be in extreme pain yet he had a slightly smug look on his face. Before he could do anything stupid, Thor caught Stormbreaker and raised it high.

"You're a crazy fool and you've injured my dearest friends on this day and many before it. My brother, my friends, my people: all died at your hands. And now you shall die at mine!" He yelled in Thanos's face as he swing Stormbreaker powerfully at his enemy's head, effectively killing him.

He grabbed the gauntlet and passed it to T'Challa to take back to the city to protect it until the battle was done. Where it was far from danger.

Steve was laying on the ground, head propped up on a fallen tree branch. Tony and Bruce got to him hurriedly.

"Steve? Steve?! Look at me, can you hear me?" Bruce called as he grabbed for his wrist.

"Can't really hear ya. Ears are ringin' a lil bit too much. 'M okay..." he slurred, blinking rapidly as his eyes met Tony's. His Brooklyn accent was showing a little bit.

"Hey baby. Oh, god, we did it. It's over. It's done, we can go home now. It's gonna be okay now, we're gonna-"

"Tony. Tony. It's okay babe. I promise, 'aight? I'm done. I'm going to Heaven, baby, and I'll see you there soon, 'kay? I'm so sorry..."

"No. No, Steve you're going to be okay, we'll get out of this like always. Together, remember? Please baby just hang on".

"No sweetheart. I've gotta go... Ma's calling me. I love you forever".

Tony burst into tears and let his head fall onto Steve's chest. "We need a medic, Friday. Now! Please, Steve hold on, I need you. Please! I love you so much and you're perfect and I can't be without you. Don't go".

"Look after him Bruce. Please. Thank you for everything. Stay strong," Steve muttered as Bruce sat back. He nodded in return.

They stayed like that for a long while; Tony crying into Steve's shirt, Steve resting his cold hand on his back and watching as the rest of the team arrived looking horrified, and Bruce leaning his head on Thor's shoulder with tears running down his pale face.

They stayed like that together.

They stayed like that until Steve's breaths slowed and his chest eventually stopped rising. This time, Tony's heart completely shattered.

The battle was over.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks so much for reading! please lmk what u think x


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